Caustic Cousins 2 The Cleaning Caper
by saveourmanatees373
Summary: This is a continuation of my Crystal series, taking up where I left off. There will be another spanking scene in part 3 so don't read it if that offends you.
1. Part One

Caustic Cousins: The Cleaning Caper (Part 1)  
  
The night of Crystal's first whipping ever, she had slowly climbed the stairs to her bedroom, dreading having to see her cousin, Danielle. She was just SURE she had seen that brat peeping in on her, and was bound and determined to find out.  
  
Getting the information out of her cousin wasn't nearly as difficult as she had presumed it would be. Danielle was sitting up in bed in a lacy white nightgown, brushing her long, curly, auburn hair. A smirk was plastered on her rather large face.   
  
"What's with you?" Crystal asked grumpily.  
  
"Heh," came Danielle's reply. "You sure squealed loud tonight for such a small whipping."  
  
"So you were there!" Crystal yelled as loud as she dared.  
  
"Yep. What're you gonna do 'bout it?" she sneered.  
  
"I'm gonna tell!" Crystal said resolutely, her hand going to brass doorknob of her room.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were," her cousin warned in a very bratty tone.  
  
Crystal bit her lip and hesitated, her hand stopping where she had placed it, going no further in the twisting motion. With an impatient sigh, she asked, "Oh, really? And why's that?"   
  
"You heard your parents. They said to stop trying to put the blame on me. You wouldn't want your papa to take you back out THERE now, would you?"  
  
Crystal sighed. Danielle was right. Sad as it was, she was right. There was no way around it.   
  
"Fine," she grumbled, getting her plain blue cotton nightgown out of her chest of drawers. Without a second glance at her cousin, she turned around so her back was to her and slipped off her dress. Laying it out neatly to be hung up, she then bent down to grab her nightgown. Behind her she could here definite giggling. Her modesty forgotten, she whirled around and faced her cousin.  
  
"And just WHAT do you find so funny?" she snapped.  
  
"Oh, just how red and striped your poor behind is," Danielle grinned.  
  
"Why I oughta…"  
  
"Uncle James?" Danielle called out sweetly.  
  
"Yes, Danielle?" came the reply.  
  
"Crystal was just saying.."  
  
Crystal frantically pantomimed, mouthing the words "I'm sorry."  
  
"What was Crystal saying?" James asked, a little annoyed.  
  
"Crystal was just saying how wonderful it would be if you would take us fishing tomorrow." Crystal breathed a sigh of relief; at least she had managed to save her behind again!  
  
"I don't know; I really have a lot of work to do.." mused James.  
  
"Well, I think it's a lovely idea," Julia interjected. "There isn't anything going on with the farm that is THAT important that you can't spend the day with our guest."  
  
James sighed, but realized that his wife was correct, once again. "Alright, it's settled. Now, you two girls need to get to sleep, alright? No more talking!"  
  
"Yes, Uncle James!" Danielle chirped. Crystal, having turned her back on Danielle again in order to slip on her nightgown rolled her eyes, but threw in a 'goodnight' as well.  
  
Sorely, Crystal bent down and pulled out the small trundle bed that fit right under her own. "This is where you can sleep; that way you can have a bed all to yoursel.."  
  
She started as she saw her cousin already snuggled in in her very own bed. "Yes, you're right, I will have a BED all to myself, and that thing most definitely is NOT a bed."  
  
"Danielle, I have health problems! I need to sleep on a regular mattress!" Crystal argued calmly and honestly.  
  
"I have health problems," Danielle repeated mockingly. "Yeah, well I have sensitive skin, so I do too." Crystal narrowed her eyes but just gave up the fight, no longer willing to keep it up. That whipping had drained her of energy, and she had no reason to really keep it up.  
  
"Fine!" she spat as she got into the much smaller and less-padded trundle. "This is actually more comfortable anyway," she lied.  
  
"Yeah right," said Danielle as she rolled over on her side and blew out the candle that illuminated the room in a soft glow. "Don't lie; I am sure your parents wouldn't like to hear about THAT, now would they?"  
  
"GOODNIGHT, Danielle, Crystal said tersely as she lay on her stomach, fighting the tears that wanted to come so badly. Not only was she sore and hurting, but the cousin whom she had thought would be a great companion was turning out to just be a pure witch! Finally , after shifting her weight many times and trying to find ways to block out her cousin's not-so-gentle snoring, she too was able to fall into a fitful sleep.  
  
The next morning dawned too early for Crystal. Her mother was gently shaking her shoulder with one hand, a finger to her lips with the other. With a start Crystal realized it was still pitch black outside. "If you are going to be gone all day, I thought it would be good of you to show your father that you are willing to work to deserve it. I thought you could use the extra time to get your chores done. Let's let Danielle sleep though, hmm?"  
  
Sleepily, Crystal nodded her head. Once her mother had left the girl got into her wardrobe and picked out her other work dress. It was pale blue with a dark green print of small flowers. She slipped on her bloomers and her petticoat, wincing as the material chafed against her still slightly sore bottom. After that she stepped into her dress and pulled her navy apron over her head. After slipping her stockings and boots on the girl quietly opened the door to the downstairs.  
  
She was greeted by the warm glow of the fire and the smell of fresh bacon and eggs frying in the skillet. "Morning doll," greeted her mother. "How you sleep?"  
  
"Not that great, actually, ma'am," Crystal replied honestly while she began to set the table for the two of them.  
  
"Well, it's no doubt, what with you sleeping in the trundle."  
  
Crystal gulped. She didn't want to lie to her mother, but she didn't want to start things with Danielle again either. With a sigh she replied, "I just thought Danielle should have my bed." There. Not a lie, since by doing that she had given Danielle one less excuse to get her into trouble.  
  
"That's very nice of you dear. Just don't let it get to your health, alright?"  
  
"I promise, Mama." By this time both child and woman were sitting down at the table to breakfast. After saying a quick blessing they ate their food silently. Once she was finished Crystal spoke.  
  
If you'll excuse me, Mama, I'd like to go on out to the barn now.  
  
Julia smiled congenially. "Of course dear. It's why I got you up early in the first place, is it not? You should find your pa out there already."  
  
"Okay. Thanks Ma!" Crystal chimed as she first went and scraped her plate then headed out the door into the chilly dawn air.  
  
James started as he heard the barn door creak open. He had been staring at the wall where the strap was hung, hardly believing he was resorting to it. What really bothered him was that he was questioning whether he had hurt his little girl more than necessary. He well remembered the sessions with his father's own strap.. Which was where his thought were when the door began to open.  
  
"Who is it?" he asked rather testily, not totally pleased to have been interrupted. His tone immediately set Crystal on edge and she froze in the open doorway.  
  
"It.. It's just me, Pa. I thought I'd start early on my chores 'cuz we're goin' fishin', but if you want me to leave.."  
  
James' demeanor instantly softened. "No, sweetie, that's all right. I'm sorry. How are you, hon?"  
  
Crystal slid into the barn, which was illuminated in a golden glow set off by two lanterns. As she reached for her rake she sighed before answering.   
  
"Quite honestly, still a little sore, Pa," she admitted quietly.  
  
James crossed over to her and put his arm around her slight frame, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "Aww, Crystal, I'm sorry. But you deserve it, right?" he asked, almost testing to see where he stood with his only daughter.  
  
Crystal didn't see it quite this way, though, and figured she was just being tested, forced to admit her wrong and accept her punishment. And really, it wasn't like she was quite lying when she answered "Yes, Pa.." She knew she'd deserved to be punished. But she didn't put too much thought into her answer before she gave it. It seemed to put James slightly at ease, though. He gave her a last hug before detaching.   
  
"That's my good girl," he smiled in the flickering light. "Now, I'm going to go and bring in your cousin's trunks. I'll see you back at the house when you are done out here. Thanks for getting up to do this, Crystal." The adolescent swelled with pride as she watched her pa leave the barn but still rolled her eyes as she got around to thinking about all the trunks and things her cousin had brought. Just how much did she think she was going to need, anyway?  
  
About thirty minutes later Crystal had finally finished with her barn chores and after carefully blowing out both lanterns she made her way back to the house. By this time Danielle was awake as well, dressed in another lacy outfit. This time it was white with a rose pattern, but little rosettes and layers of lace cascaded down.  
  
"Danielle? You.. Uh, are you going FISHING in that?" Crystal asked thoroughly surprised. That was nicer than her Sunday outfit, and no matter how careful you were when you went fishing, you were bound to get your clothes dirty to some extent.  
  
Danielle wanted to snap back in a sharp retort, but because her aunt and uncle were around she changed tactics. "Well, I was PLANNING on it.."  
  
Julia came over and put her hand on her niece's shoulder. "How about I loan you one of my large baking aprons, sweetie? That way you won't get that pretty dress dirty."  
  
Danielle gave a large smile in return. "Oh, that's so THOUGHTFUL of you, Aunt Julia," she crowed. "Thank you very much!"  
  
"Why sure, honey," came the response. Immediately Julia left to go find one of her extra aprons in her room. Meanwhile, Crystal fought to keep from rolling her eyes at this obvious (to her) display of sucking up.   
  
About twenty minutes later James and the two girls were loaded up in the wagon along with the fishing supplies. Each girl sat in insufferable silence. As they went, the wagon jolting on the dirt road, Crystal couldn't help but wonder whether her cousin realized just how dirty and slimy fishing could really get. At the same time, Danielle was sitting there, trying to think of any way possible to get her cousin in trouble once again. 


	2. Part Two

Caustic Cousins: The Cleaning Caper Part 2  
  
James clucked to the horses and had them turn off at the old fishing hole. Crystal scrambled out of the wagon, both because she was excited and because she was ecstatic to get her still-tender bum off the hard wood. She immediately grabbed their fishing poles and headed down to her favorite spot of the pond. There, the willow trees gracefully bent over the calm water, providing just enough shade on a hot summer day.  
  
To Crystal's delight her two greatest friends were already there. "Laura! Mary!" she squealed happily, running as well as she possibly could with three fishing poles and a pail of bait in her hands.  
  
"Crystal!" crowed Laura, jumping up and running to greet her friend. As she did so she kicked up a mess of mud, splattering the back of Mary's dress.  
  
"Laura Ingalls! Just look what you did!" her sister snapped. "Pa's already angry with you; I'm sure glad I'm not in your skin."  
  
Laura looked forlorn for a second, then shrugged. "Was bound to happen over something anyway. He's had his long johns in a bunch all week."  
  
Crystal stopped though, looking askance. Laura and Mary immediately picked up on their friend's discomfort. "What is it, Crystal?" Mary inquired gently. Just as Crystal was about to tell her, a great crashing sound in the brush could be heard.  
  
"What in the world?" asked Laura as she peered over Crystal's shoulder, trying to get a better view.   
  
Crystal sighed. "THAT would be my cousin Danielle, probably having trouble getting down the slope."  
  
Mary brightened. "That's right! I'm so sorry! I forgot all about her coming! I didn't know she liked to fish. That's so neat! You're so lucky, Crystal.." She stopped short as she noticed the sour glare on her friend's face. For the second time that morning she asked, "What is it, Crystal?"  
  
"Let me go clear it with Pa, and then maybe the three of us could go talk a minute.. alone."   
  
The two sisters nodded then added, "Come on, Mary, let's go meet her!" Mary looked at Crystal for the okay, and Crystal shrugged. Once she had set down the fishing supplies down on the bank the three girls raced back up the bank. Just as Crystal had predicted, James was having to aid his niece around every little stone and branch. Even HE was getting slightly irritated, but wisely chose to keep quiet.  
  
"Hey, Papa!" Crystal greeted him congenially.  
  
"Hey, sweetie. Oh, hi Laura, Mary!" he greeted the trio.   
  
"Pa," Crystal asked sweetly and nervously, "while you show Danielle how to fish, would you mind if I went with Laura and Mary for a few minutes? They need to talk to me alone for just a bit."  
  
James thought it over for a while, then shrugged. "As long as you hurry back, I don't see why not. Just remember, you wanted this time with your cousin, so I don't want you to just go running off and abandoning her."  
  
"I won't Pa! Thanks! The fishing poles and bait are already on the bank. See you soon!" With that the two Ingalls girls and Crystal scampered down the bank a ways, just far enough that they couldn't be heard.  
  
Crystal slumped down on a log, yelping slightly. Before long she had her face buried in her arms and she was sobbing her heart out. Quickly Laura and Mary sat down on either side of her and held her. "Oh Crystal, you can tell us what happened. Come on," Mary said softly.  
  
"It.. It's just not FAIR!" Crystal cried.  
  
"What isn't?" Laura asked. "Did you get punished unfairly or something?"  
  
"No.. It's all that little witch's fault!" she replied, gesturing toward Danielle.  
  
"What's wrong? Did she get you in trouble?" Mary asked, genuinely concerned.  
  
"No, although she's threatening to. And she.. She went out and was peeping at me last night."  
  
"Huh?" Laura and Mary asked. They knew that their friend had recently started getting spanked, but it was always in the comfort of her own home, and it was never harsh by their standards.  
  
"Ma and Pa have decided that I have to start getting strapped when I do really bad things," Crystal admitted. "Last night was my first time, and that little twit was right outside, peeking into the barn!"  
  
"Oh Crystal, I'm so sorry!" Laura said. "I've been on the receiving end of Pa's strap more than enough, so I really understand." With a look at her sister she rolled her eyes. "Gonna be again today after what I did to Mary's dress. Oh well. How bad was it for you?"  
  
"That's something else! Pa said it was barely what I'll eventually get, and it still hurts today!" Crystal moaned.   
  
"Yeah, that thing hurts worse than anything else I've ever felt," Mary sighed, truly feeling sorry for her friend.  
  
"But the worst part is how Danielle kept teasing me last night, threatening to tell Ma and Pa that I did things or said things that I hadn't.. She even stole my bed and is making me sleep in the trundle!"  
  
"Why that little witch!" Laura exclaimed as she stood up. "Why don't you just tell your parents?"  
  
"They won't believe me that she was peeking in, and are adamant that I stop blaming her," Crystal said, her gaze cold. "And I just KNOW she's got something else in store for me," she sighed. "I don't know WHAT, exactly, but there's something."  
  
"Surely your parents can tell she's rude though!" exclaimed Mary, but Crystal just shook her head miserably.  
  
"She sucks up to them and they are buying it! ARGH!" Crystal yelled as loudly as she dared while standing and stomping.  
  
"Wow, that really stinks," Laura commiserated. "Would you like me and Mary to come and fish with you guys to help keep you company?"  
  
"It's Mary and I," Mary corrected, "but we'd be happy to come with you, Crystal."  
  
Crystal's face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you so much! I had no idea how I was going to get through the entire day."  
  
The three adolescents made their way back to James and Danielle. "Hi Pa!" Crystal called out. "Thanks for giving me a few minutes with Laura and Mary. Oh, and Danielle, these are my best friends, Laura and Mary. Obviously, this is my cousin, Danielle."  
  
Laura had a stony glare as she was introduced but Mary elbowed her, and with a sigh she was able to drop it. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Mary said congenially.  
  
"Yeah, hi," muttered Laura. Once again Mary elbowed her sister, and Laura added, "I've heard SO MUCH about you." Danielle glared at first Laura and then Crystal, but since she was in the presence of her uncle she soon was smiling sweetly.  
  
"The pleasure is all mine," she answered.   
  
Everyone sat in rather stony silence, not quite sure what to say. Danielle REALLY wasn't having a fun time, although she had no one to truly blame but herself for this one. But she just KNEW that that brat of a cousin of hers had been talking about her behind her back to those. dirty girls.. That Laura and Mary.  
  
Suddenly James shot up from his seat. "Oh my goodness," he said. "Crystal, get the fish and the poles. I've got to get both of you back to the farm, NOW!" he roared. Concerned, all four girls turned to look at what James had been looking at. It didn't take long for them to see the thick black smoke that was coming up over the horizon. Crystal scrambled down to the water's edge and grabbed the fish, thrusting the poles into her cousin's hands with glare just DARING her to argue. Thankfully, she didn't.   
  
"Laura, Mary, I would suggest you get home too. Tell your pa that there's a fire at the Johansson's place!" James hollered from the top of the bank. Both sisters quickly gathered up their things and scampered off. By this time Crystal had already scrambled up into the back of the wagon. Slowly, slipping on the slightest amount of twigs and leaves, Danielle made her way up the slope as well. Crystal rolled her eyes.  
  
"Come on Danielle!" she urged. Finally her cousin had made it up into the wagon, her hand landing on one of the strung up fish. She jerked her hand away, looking at the slime that was oozing down it. Her face crinkled up in disgust, and Crystal realized that her cousin hadn't caught a single fish that day. Then she looked at her cousin's pole and noticed that it was the only one without bait. The realization that she had been fishing without a worm just so she wouldn't have to handle the fish dawned on Crystal and she rolled her eyes, but quickly her fear for their neighbors overtook those thoughts. The way the wind was blowing, if the fire wasn't contained soon, their house would be next!  
  
With James racing the horses all the way back to the farm it was only a matter of minutes before they pulled up in front of the door. Julia was already hurrying out, soaked pillowcases and bags in hand. "Thank God you're back!" She yelled.  
  
"I know. Girls.. I'm sorry but I'm going to need you to pick up your ma's and my chores today. First, Crystal I want you to show Danielle how to clean the fish. There are a lot there so it will take her a while to do them all. Make sure she knows what she's doing before you leave her. After that I'll you decide what she does or doesn't do. Hopefully we will be home soon!"  
  
"Yes, Pa!" Crystal called out. With that James and Julia were galloping down the road as fast as their horses' hooves would take them.   
  
Suddenly, Danielle knew just what she could do to get her cousin in further trouble. 


	3. Part Three

Caustic Cousins 2: The Cleaning Caper Part 3  
  
As the wagon rattled out of sight of the Craiger's farmhouse, Crystal suddenly realized the enormity of the task she was given. It wasn't that she minded doing her parents' chores; that wasn't too terribly difficult. What mattered was that she was expected to teach Danielle how to clean the fish. How on Earth was she supposed to do this if her cousin was afraid to do so much as take a fish off the hook? Suddenly she got an idea, and turned to her cousin.  
  
"Danielle, I'm going to let you do the dishes and floors while I do up these fish. All you have to do there is soap them up and rinse them. It's a lot easier and that way you won't have to touch them," she said with just a touch of a sneer.  
  
"Oh no, Crystal!" Danielle said in the same sweet tone she used around her aunt and uncle. "I wouldn't DREAM of doing that. Just show me what to do and I'll do it with these.. fish."  
  
Crystal looked at her cousin warily, but sighed, not really up for a fight, and definitely not have the time for one. "Fine," she relented grudgingly. If you'll go in the house and get a pan with some water in it and the long thin knife in the drawer by the stove, I'll meet you outside the barn." Without waiting for an answer Crystal grabbed the heavy stringer of fish and strode off.  
  
Danielle rolled her eyes but followed the instructions. Crystal knew something was wrong but she didn't have the time nor wherewithal to address. Instead, she continued to make the preparations. She brushed off the make-shift table that they'd set up out there, which was really just a series of solid wooden blocks that reached just above Crystal's waist line. It was on the side of the barn opposite the window, unfortunately, and too heavy for the frail girl to lift to move it so she could keep a watchful eye on her cousin.  
  
Shrugging it off, Crystal went to the well and drew up a bucket of water. She took it back and used it to rinse off the slightly dusty surface of the wood, then refilled it. By this time Danielle was coming back. She had a look of sheer determination on her face, which greatly surprise.. and worried.. Crystal.  
  
"Ok, Danielle. Stand over on my right side so you can see this properly," Crystal instructed. With a sigh Danielle moved over to her cousin's right side.  
  
"Now, would you please take that first fish off the stringer and hand it to me?" Crystal asked, wanting to see her cousin's reaction. It took all of Danielle's grit and determination, but she put her hand around the slimy creature and pulled the string through its gills. As quickly as she could she dropped it in front of Crystal, and quickly wiped her hand free of the slime. Her cousin rolled her eyes and took a firm grip on the crappie with her right hand.  
  
With her left she picked up the filet knife, with the blunt side facing down. She struck the fish sharply across the head three times which made it shake violently at first, flicking a bit of its natural ooze on both girls. Crystal remained stoic while Danielle cringed, wiping a bit of the cool stuff off her cheek with the back of her hand.   
  
A second later the fish had stilled considerably. "You do that to make them brain-dead," Crystal explained. "That way they aren't quite as jumpy when you are actually cutting into them."  
  
With that she laid the fish on its right side. "The first thing you do is go down the fish's spine with the knife tip," she instructed as she performed the said act. As the first tiny bit of blood welled up Danielle began to blanche but she quickly kept it in check.   
  
"Then you slide the blade in at the end of that cut, with the sharpened end point toward you and tilted downward a little, and you keep poking it until the knife point is all the way through. Then, with a gentle pulling motion you bring the knife toward you, getting the meat off the tail." Danielle was sure she was going to be sick with each 'squish' and sound that fish and knife made, but miraculously she was able to refrain from showing any signs of her current distress.  
  
"The you make a diagonal cut from the gill up to the point of that first cut you made.. Then carefully scrape your way down along the spine and ribcage until you can tear through the skin." This done, the fish was left looking like a gory, bloody skeleton, and it took Danielle every bit of her resolve not to lose it right there and then. But keeping her eyes on the prize, she forced herself to keep watching.   
  
"Finally you just peel the skin off with the knife like this," Crystal said as she demonstrated, "and finally put the piece of meat in the pan." Like she was passing off a prized sword she handed the knife to Danielle. "I believe it is your turn. Do the other side of the fish."  
  
Swallowing the vomit that was rising in her throat, Danielle shakily made her way to the blocks. Following Crystal's instructions she hesitantly put the tip of her knife in the fish.  
  
"No, you have to be a LITTLE firmer than that," said Crystal in an impatient tone. Now, more determined than ever to get the girl that was her "cousin," Danielle went at the fish with vigor. Working through the tears in her eyes and her churning insides she successfully managed to filet the other side of the fish.  
  
Actually, Crystal was rather impressed, and now not so certain that her cousin was up to no good. "Good job, Danielle," she said finally. "Look, there's over fifty fish there because we're planning on having a get-together with the Martins this weekend. It's going to take a long time to get all of those fish cleaned. If the boxes get too bloody and stuff just rinse them off with the bucket of water.. You can always get more at the well. I'll be inside the barn cleaning out all the stalls and all that stuff first. I'll be there a good three hours, so you'll know where to find me if you need help."  
  
Danielle smiled angelically. "I will if necessary, but I really don't anticipate a problem." Crystal smiled and headed for the barn entrance, never turning back. Oh, how she wished she had!  
  
Outside, Danielle was picking up the bloody carcass of the fish and the two slices of meat from the pan. Holding them gingerly she ran to the edge of the hill the Craiger's on which the Craiger's farm was situated. With a broad grin she tossed them down the incline, knowing that before too long the wildlife would have them consumed.  
  
She then ran back to the boxes and pulled out the strong-smelling bar of lye soap she grabbed from her aunt's large stash in the cupboard. Hardly able to contain herself she washed the filet knife and raced back to the house. She found a towel which she used to dry the dripping instrument, which she promptly put back exactly how she had found it.   
  
Danielle quickly returned to the blocks, off of which she immediately rinsed the blood and scales with the water from the pan and Crystal's bucket. It suddenly dawned on her that she was out of water, and that she was going to need quite a lot before she was through. She ran the few feet over to the well with the bucket, filled it, and returned. This done, she gave an evil grin. NOW she could start to have fun. It would mean touching those slimy, filthy, horrendous creatures, but it was totally worth it.   
  
She grabbed hold of the first fish and pulled it off the stringer. With a big, dopey grin she poured some water on the soap, lathered it up until her hands were full of suds and briskly went at the fish until it was just covered in bubbles. She rinsed it off carefully, making sure to leave just one or two bubbles on the gleaming scales. She tossed it into the large pan, reached for the next fish, and proceeded to do the same to it.  
  
She had gotten through a good three-quarters of the fish when the wagon finally was rumbling into the clearing. The heavy smoke in the distance was now just but wisps, so Danielle presumed that the town had gotten the fire under control. But she knew that that fire was not to be the only fire of the day.  
  
Julia was the first off the wagon, and she smiled and waved at her niece who was still hard at work cleaning the fish. She ran in her direction, to see how she was doing with the labor. Meanwhile, James made his way to the barn to check on Crystal.  
  
He went in, covered in soot, but overall glad that with the town's help no one had been injured and the fire had done considerably little damage. When he spotted his daughter in the far stall, he strode purposefully to her.  
  
"Hey, baby! How's it goin'?" he asked kindly.  
  
"Oh, hi Pa! Just fine.. Almost done with the barn chores."  
  
James beamed, glad to have such a understanding daughter. "How about your cousin?" he asked. "She get her job all right?"  
  
"Surprisingly enough, yeah. I even gave her the option of doing house chores instead but she wouldn't hear of it. And she was actually a natural, Pa! She filleted the more difficult side of the fish perfectly after watching me do just one, so I left her. I told her where to find me.."  
  
Suddenly Crystal was cut off by hysterical laughter coming from outside the barn. So hysterical, was it, that James feared something was wrong. He raced outside.   
  
"Julia! What is it? What's.."   
  
And then he saw it: the soaped up bass in his niece's hands, a confused look on her face, and his wife, standing there, holding onto herself and laughing as hard as she could. Anger welled up inside of him.  
  
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" He said, just barely managing to keep himself from yelling. By this time Crystal had made it too, and was just standing in horror at the mess before her.  
  
"Uncle James? Is something wrong?" Danielle asked sweetly.  
  
"You.. You were supposed to clean the fish, Danielle, so we could EAT them. Like Crystal showed you," James responded tensely.   
  
Danielle screwed up her face. "Crystal didn't show me anything at all, Uncle James. She just ran off, and all I could make out were the words 'soap' and 'rinse.' So I did it. Wasn't I RIGHT Uncle James?" she asked, sounding thoroughly perplexed.  
  
Crystal couldn't believe her ears. "You LIAR!" She screamed, wanting so badly to slap her cousin but knowing far better than that. "What happened to the fish we did together? You did it perfectly you little.."  
  
"CRYSTAL!" Her father boomed, making her stop in her tracks. "DON'T YOU DARE PUT THIS ON YOUR COUSIN. Is this some sick idea of a joke, young lady? You knew we were going to have a fish fry. Now what are we going to feed our friends? I can tell you one thing, little lady. They can have your portion."  
  
"But Pa.."  
  
"Don't argue with your father, Crystal," Julia interjected, her voice dripping with venom. "I've absolutely HAD it with you shirking your duties around here, and I know he has too. What's more, I will NOT stand to have a daughter of mine out to get her own flesh and blood just so she won't get punished. I'm ashamed, Crystal. Hurt and ashamed. Go to your room. NOW. Your pa will salvage what is left of the fish."  
  
Sobbing harder than she ever would have thought possible she ran out of the yard and up to her room. Kicking her boots off, not really caring that they left a slight scuff mark on the wallpaper, she curled up in HER bed and cried. Cried for the injustice of everything that had happened.. Cried for her parents believing her cousin over her.. And cried for the punishment she just knew would be forthcoming. 


	4. Part Four

5

Crystal is Crazy: The Cleaning Caper Part 4

Slowly, ever so slowly the daytime turned into dusk. Crystal spent the time halved between pacing her room, fuming, or curled up in the fetal position, covered by her pink quilt, crying bitterly over the unfairness of it all.. And the fear of what her father was going to do to her.

As it grew later the girl became increasingly anxious, and when she heard her mother and Danielle starting on supper she breathed a sigh of relief; soon they would be coming up for her. Before long the smell of ham and sweet potatoes and fresh corn was wafting up to greet her nose, and she realized that she was quite hungry. Before long she heard James come in and at first she sucked in her breath in fear. Then she realized that it was too close to dinner for him to do anything to her now, and that the only reason he would come up would be to get her.

She heard places being set around the table, usually her job, and raised an eyebrow curiously. Before long there was a knock at the door and she gratefully opened it, starting to exit, before she realized James was blocking the path.

"Here," he said gruffly, shoving a plateful of food and a cup of water in her hands. "We decided we couldn't make you miss a meal because of your headaches, although if you were a normal child there would be no supper for you. As it is you get no milk and no dessert for a week." With that he turned on his heel and left just as abruptly as he had come in, leaving behind a daughter whose eyes were glistening with tears.

She took her meal over to her desk, struggling to choke down her food in between the sobs that were shaking her slight frame. She wanted to give her body enough to work on for whatever else her father had in mind for her punishment, and wanting dreadfully to ward off a headache so she ate what she could. It wasn't everything, but it was a good portion.

After she went back and lay down again, squeezing her eyes tight, listening to her family eating with enjoyment just below her, their laughter floating up to her room. It wasn't more than ten minutes later that she was beginning to get another headache. She pushed it aside as being the stress she was in, sure it would go away once everything was over. After all, it wasn't all that bad. Five minutes later she wasn't so sure, and in another five she knew that another full-blown headache was coming on.

(Truth be known, it wasn't just the stress that was causing it, although it was a major factor. The ham itself contained ingredients that were deadly to someone with her condition. Once again, if it were a hundred years later they not only would know this and prevent the use of ham, they would know the NAME of what they were dealing with: migraines. Sadly, this was the late 1800s, a time before many medical discoveries, so people like Crystal had to suffer.)

Shakily Crystal got up, squinting, and made her way to the door. She wasn't sure which would make her parents angry with her: her hiding her health so as to follow their prior instructions, or her actually disobeying their instructions to get help. Totally clueless, she decided they'd be angrier if she made herself sicker so with a deep breath she opened the door and slowly, carefully, made her way down the stairs. They weren't noticing her so as she stood at the bottom of the stairwell she did her best to call out to them. But already the pain in her head was growing rapidly and it wasn't very loud. After another feeble attempt she came into the full light of the room, tightly closing her eyes against the light of the candles.

Everything in the room stopped dead; everyone sat motionless, completely quiet. Fury welled up in Julia until she moved quickly, breaking the spell. She leapt up from her seat and slapped her daughter across her face, hard. James' own eyes burned with anger, but most of it was directed at his wife. Even after they had decided to start spanking or even whipping Crystal they had maintained that the only thing that would feel their wrath was her backside. Danielle, on the other hand, was completely enjoying the spectacle and just barely managing to contain her glee at the unforeseen events.

"M-ma?" Crystal asked, her head now hurting more than she ever thought possible. Her lower lip trembled and fresh tears spilled onto her cheeks as her hand went to protect her face from more oncoming blows.

Julia, however, was unmoved. "Damnit, Crystal!" she bellowed, making her daughter cringe, mostly from the pain her booming voice caused, but partially from fear as well. "I told you stay up in your room and I meant it! Now git your fanny up those stairs this instant. You've already created a hell of a lot more trouble for yourself young lady," Julia swore, which was totally unlike her.

Crystal shook her head slightly though; they still didn't know the reason she'd come down. She could only hope and pray that if she explained then they'd understand. "Mama.. Honest.. I came down 'cuz I need help!"

James started to get up, concerned about his daughter, but Julia signaled for him to stop. "Oh really," she asked, her voice condescending. "And just what kind of help do you need, young lady?"

"I need you to give me a shot, Pa.." the girl sobbed out. "My head hurts worse than ever, please.."

Once again James made to get up, and had actually succeeded, when Julia crossed over and managed to push him back down, mostly because her husband wasn't prepared for any action of the sort.

Then Julia turned to her daughter again. "Young lady, I'm sick and tired of you not doing your work and your trying to get out of punishment. Now you can just go on out to the barn and sit while you can. I can guarantee that it won't be something you'll care to do for quite some time when your pa is through with you."

Sobbing hard, the fair-complexioned girl slowly turned around went out the door while holding her head in her hands. Behind her quite some conversation was going on.

"Julia Catharine Craiger!" James snapped. "I don't know WHAT has gotten into you, but this punishment can wait until our child is no longer in pain from something that is of no fault of her own, and when it DOES come time for her proper punishment it is NOT going to be some inhumane WHIPPING like I'm sure you are planning on making me give her."

"That child is FAKING!" Julia barked back. "She has to know that she can't postpone the inevitable and that her attempts will only be rewarded negatively."

"There was PAIN in that child's eyes and if you had half a sense you'd know it!"

Danielle was taking this all in greedily, praying that her uncle wouldn't win the argument, when suddenly both pairs of adult eyes pivoted toward her for some reason. "OUT!" Both her aunt and uncle yelled at once, pointing to Crystal's recent room of banishment. With a sigh she got up and trudged up the stairs where she perched herself behind the door, able to hear almost every word anyway.

"James, you know what we already agreed for a punishment for that child and I want it raised by six strokes to her thighs."

Anger burned in her husbands eyes, but none of it was directed toward his daughter. He still felt she deserved a very harsh punishment for her prank with the fish and she would pay for that dearly. But he would have bet his life's savings that she hadn't been faking the pain she was already in, and in his opinion there was no need to punish her when she was already so miserable. Unfortunately it would be just like his wife to check the state of her daughter's bottom, so there would be no faking it.

With a miffed huff he got up from the table, uncharacteristically leaving behind his plate and things. He walked out of the house, banging the door, leaving his wife with the mess. It was with a heavy heart that he opened the barn door, seeing his little girl sitting on a hay bale, her head resting on her knees, shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs.

He almost couldn't do it; he was supposed to be the head of the family, darn it, not his wife! But he knew he wouldn't be able to enter the house except by force if he didn't do this. He didn't know which would be worse for the child: to ignore her current distress and keep the strict disciplinarian sense or whether to comfort her, tell her didn't want to do it now, to cuddle her. True, his wife could be right; Crystal could be faking the pain. But something in James' gut just told him that this wasn't the case. So instead of reaching around and grabbing the heavy strap right away he went and sat next to his child.

"Hey Crys," he said softly, so as not to hurt her head. She jumped a bit but quickly turned to him. There was no anger in his voice now; she felt it safe to trust him.

"You're still gonna strap me tonight, aren't ya Pa?" she whispered, and forlornly he nodded. "Are.. Are you gonna give me extras for coming down?"

Once again her father had to nod. But as she looked at him she noticed that there were tears running silently down his own cheeks. "Papa?" she asked in confusion.

James looked at his daughter and shook his head. "You don't deserve this Crystal. Not now at least. One pain is enough to deal with. I.. If it weren't for your ma.. Darn it. Maybe I still shouldn't.."

As much as Crystal wanted to shake her head vigorously she couldn't do more a couple slow shakes before the pounding caused her to stop. "I don't want you two fighting because of me. I.. Ma's right. I shouldn't have come down."

James looked at Crystal in shock. "Crystal, you don't know what your ma wants me to do.."

"I have a pretty good guess. But I'll live. Just.. Pa, please. Please promise me you'll give me an injection for the headache afterward. I know it'll help the pain from the whipping too and I'm sorry about that but please. I don't think I.."

She never even finished her sentence because her father held a finger to her lips. "If I have to sneak out of bed to do it behind your mother's back I will. But now.."

Crystal had warmed with her father's words until his 'but now.' Then she froze and gulped. She didn't know how on Earth she would EVER make it through even a handspanking with this headache.

"How.. How bad is it Pa?" she asked nervously.

What he told her made her want to scream already. "It would have been twenty-four lashes, sweetie, but your ma is insisting I give you an extra six all on your thighs. There's just no way I can fudge much."

She began shaking from fear and crying, which just made her head hurt the worse. James took her in his arms, wishing for the life of him that something else could just happen to change things, but seeing no hope in sight.


	5. Part Five

Crystal is Crazy: The Cleaning Caper Part 5

Father and daughter sat together for several minutes, neither wanting to move. Finally James gave a last, gentle squeeze to his daughter's shoulders and then stood up. With his voice wrecked with emotion he barely managed to speak. "It's time, Crys," he sighed.

With a sob his beautiful daughter nodded, barely capable of doing so because of the pain it caused her. James turned and grabbed his strap hanging by the barn door. A single tear worked its way down his cheek before he forced himself calm down.

Normally for something like this he would bend his daughter over a hay bale but there was no way he would do that to her this time. Instead, he took a seat on another bale next to the one he and Crystal had previously occupied.

"Come on over here, baby girl," he sad forlornly. "Across my knees, like you would for the brush." Even though confusion etched her petite features she slowly got up from her seat and with some slight hesitation placed herself over her father's legs.

With a sigh James lifted his daughter's skirt until it rested the tips of her long, golden tresses. He slowly untied the drawstring keeping her bloomers up, baring her bottom. With a trembling hand he took the strap and raised it.

Given the circumstances he felt it only fair to give her warning. "Okay babe. We're going to begin." She gave an unintelligible response which James took to mean "okay." He took a deep breath and brought the elevated strip of leather down reasonably hard across her full portion of her bottom.

Crystal couldn't believe the awful pain. To begin with, she was still slightly tender from her strapping just the night before. But worse, the pain in her head seemed to extenuate all of her senses, including, apparently, the sense of touch. She screamed, the sound of which pierced her head.

James' heart was breaking but he dutifully raised the strap again and brought it down, not quite as hard, on her sit spot. As the red stripe surfaced on the pale globes his daughter's thin wail echoed off the barn walls. Tears were running down both father and daughter's faces as James let loose the third stroke.

Meanwhile, back in the house, Julia had called Danielle down to help her clean up. As much as she didn't want to, she figured tonight was NOT the night to protest. "Yes, Aunt Julia," she sighed reluctantly.

Julia was too preoccupied to notice the tone and smiled up at her niece. "Hey sweetie. Just help me clear here, first, okay?" she asked.

Danielle nodded and carried the plates gingerly between thumb and fore-finger. She made several trips as such without a problem but on the fourth the plate fell from her hands and broke into several pieces. Immediately she started crying large crocodile tears.

"Oh, Aunt Julia! I'm so SORRY!" she wailed. "I just can't seem to do ANYTHING right today! Even though it's not my fault Crystal handed me the soap and basin.."

Julia, who had been picking up the pieces of the fallen plate, trying to calm herself down, suddenly stopped. "WHAT did you say, Danielle?" she asked in a cold tone.

"That I'm not doing anything right today!"

"No. Not THAT part. What came NEXT."

"Uhh.. That it wasn't my fault Crystal handed me the soap and basin.." she said uncertainly, wondering where this was going.

"That's not what you told us this afternoon, Danielle," Julia said tersely.

"I'm sure you're mistaken, Aunt Julia," Danielle replied nervously.

"Oh, I'm sure I'm NOT," she snapped. Not when it would have meant a different.. And harsher.. punishment for Crystal. You know what you told us? That she ran off toward the barn, mumbling something about water and soap."

Danielle paled. How could she have forgotten?

Julia stood up and quickly had her finger in her niece's face. "It's time you start talking, girl."

"I.. I just got confused Aunt Julia," she tried lamely, but was cut off by a sharp slap to her cheek.

"What the?!" she shrieked, a hand going up to nurse her smarting cheek. Suddenly a second smack landed on the other one.

"I suggest you start telling the truth, Danielle," Julia said, her voice steely.

Danielle didn't know why but she was compelled to tell the truth. Softly, she started to speak. "I.. I kinda lied to get Crystal in trouble."

Julia's face grew red with anger. "Why? Did she do something to you?"

Looking back, the preppy girl wished she'd thought well enough to lie and say something to that effect, since it would get a little of the heat off of her. But by this time she was scared shitless. She simply shook her head no, unbidden tears springing to the corners of her eyes. To her surprise she felt her earlobe being tightly pinched by her irate aunt and then was being drug out the door.

"Ooooow!" she whined, struggling mightily to get free.

"You'll be 'ow-ing' plenty soon enough - save your breath," Julia spat as she raced toward the door. The woman nearly dragged her niece all the way to the barn as she hollered at the top of her lungs.

"JAMES! JAMES STOP! DON'T!" She was only halfway there and already she could hear her daughter's gut wrenching howls. It was those very cries and screams that kept James from hearing his wife.

Instead, just barely containing his own sobs, he slapped down the eighth stroke. He had already decided that every sixth strike was to be rewarded with some time for Crystal to catch her breath, otherwise he would have been much further along than this. Even with that first break though he could barely detect a change in her sobbing.

Crystal, for her part, felt like she was one large lump of pain. Her own screams hurt her head horrendously but she couldn't hold them in. All of a sudden the barn was flooded in light. The girl could only think that maybe she had gone to heaven, but no, the pain was still there. She suddenly feared she'd gone to hell but suddenly she heard voices: her parents' voices, and someone else's terrified sobs.

"JAMES!" Julia cried out desperately, and finally her husband heard her.

"So it wasn't good enough knowing the girl was being punished? You had to come and see for yourself?" he spat angrily, completely livid. "You want to see Crystal punished, fine! Here!" With that he raised the strap high, tears streaming down his dirty cheeks. To his surprise, though, a hand clasped his wrist.

"Don't!" Julia sobbed desperately. "There.. There has been a mistake."

"You know, I seem to remember saying something to that effect earlier," James snapped sarcastically.

"James, I know. Please.. Later. We'll take it up later. PLEASE."

James finally realized he'd do much better to help his daughter so he nodded, conceding. Gently, he drew his daughter's bloomers up and lowered her skirts before helping her up so her head wouldn't be hanging down any longer. He eased her onto his lap, trying to get as much of her already bruised bottom and thighs off his legs as possible.

Immediately she threw her arms around him, gasping with gut-wrenching sobs. While doing his best to comfort his daughter, James suddenly realized his niece was in the barn.

"Why on Earth is she in here?" he asked rather annoyed, but keeping his voice down for Crystal's benefit.

"Well, I think you'd better here this one out of Danielle's own mouth. And don't you dare sugar coat it, miss," said Julia, a definite edge still in her voice.

Danielle sobbed again but finally related everything to her uncle. Crystal at first believed she was hearing improperly. She couldn't believe that her bratty cousin was ACTUALLY CONFESSING!

By this time Julia was crossing over to her husband and child and sat down next to them. She began to caress Crystal's back and hair and finally took her in her own arms so her husband could stand. He quickly strode over to his niece and grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip.

"So you think it's funny to set your cousin up, do you?" he roared, causing Crystal's sobs to escalate as her head pounded even fiercer.

Danielle began shaking her head rapidly, despite her own confession just minutes before. James chuckled.

"Well, we'll see how funny you find it when YOU are in her position. You are getting what she was supposed to get but the extra six awarded her is twice that. Over that hay bale. NOW!"

Danielle stood frozen in fear, never expecting this. Suddenly Julia spoke up. "James, we'll do it later.."

"Oh, and just how long do you want to put this off?" Her husband asked sarcastically. "You couldn't put it off for Crystal."

Julia sighed. "I.. I know. But it's because of Crystal I want to wait. We're going to put it off until she's better and well enough to watch." While Danielle blanched Crystal cracked the first smile since that afternoon.

"Please Uncle James!" Danielle pleaded. "Don't!"

The stern but loving man shook his head. "I've decided, Danielle. And you will wait however long it takes and you will have it done in front of your cousin. It is only fair."

With that he went and scooped his suffering daughter off of his wife's lap and carried her back to the farmhouse and up to her room.

"I'll let your ma come help you get changed while I'm getting the injection prepared, okay, sweetie?" he said softly as he left her in her mother's charge. He hurried back downstairs where he prepared the large hypodermic of morphine. (Back in those days they not only knew what the cause of the headaches were, they didn't know that painkillers not only didn't help the actual headache, but they also frequently made the headaches worse)

Then he went and moistened two cloths for her, grabbed the bottle of alcohol and grabbed one clean, dry cloth for himself and headed back up to Crystal's room. By this time she had just gotten into HER bed on her stomach, prepared for her painful injection.

James came in and handed Crystal one of the wet cloths for her forehead, then lifted up the hem of her nightgown to reveal her slightly bruised rear end.

James looked away a moment, barely able to believe he had done this to her when he had so desperately not wanted to. When he looked back he tried desperately to find someplace new and untouched but even after ten lashes everything was at least a bright red.

"This is gonna hurt more than usual, babe... but at least everything'll stop hurting quite so much as soon as the serum takes effect." Crystal gave a muffled sob but bravely nodded. James finally just swabbed the muscle near the hip and inserted the thick needle.

It took a while but soon she was all done. James gently lay the second wet cloth on her swollen cheeks then lowered her nightgown. After this he pulled up her desk chair and sat with her until she was asleep, and praying over her for quite some time after.


End file.
